The present invention relates to a switch assembly for use in electrical circuitry.
Switch assemblies are commonly used in aircraft to control electrical circuitry. An operator of the aircraft may inadvertently tease, i.e., partially actuate, the switch assembly without intending to have the switch assembly initiate a control function. Thus, the operator may repeatedly depress a pushbutton for a switch assembly through a short distance toward a fully actuated position without intending to actuate the switch assembly and initiate a control function. Once the operator has manually depressed the pushbutton to the fully actuated position with the intent to initiate a control function, he may again inadvertently tease the switch assembly by only partially releasing the switch assembly and repeatedly moving it back to its fully actuated position. Since the operator intends for the switch assembly to initiate a control function only when the switch assembly is fully actuated, it is important that the inadvertent teasing of the switch assembly by the operator does not result in the initiation of a control function.
When a switch assembly is in an actuated condition, it may be advantageous to be able to change the switch status from the actuated condition to an unactuated condition from a remote location. Thus, when a switch has been actuated to an on condition, it may be desirable to change the switch status to the off condition from a remote location. This will enable an operator remotely to remove the power from a holding coil and be certain that the switch assembly is in the off condition.